Daniele De Rossi previews iconic Roma clash: “For the first time I will have to think about beating them.” | OneFootball

December 29, 2025, will be a special date for Daniele De Rossi, who will face Roma for the first time as Genoa manager.

The return to the Olimpico, his home stadium, will inevitably be emotional, considering the coach’s deep connection with Roma, where he played throughout his professional career.

In an interview with DAZN, which will be broadcast in full on December 26, De Rossi revealed that he immediately checked the calendar to find out when he would face his former team.

“Yes, I looked at when I would be playing against Roma and Lazio.” This confirms the curiosity and excitement that accompany every homecoming, even if this time as an opponent.

The return to Rome will undoubtedly have a different feel for De Rossi, who will experience it with a new spirit. “It’s a unique feeling. As a child, you experience it one way, as a youth academy player, another way, as a player, incredibly passionate, and as a coach, crazy,” De Rossi explained, emphasizing how each stage of his career has led him to experience this moment differently.

“I’ve always wanted Roma to win every day; that’s what makes me laugh the most,” he added, revealing with a smile that, for once, he’ll have to work to make his former team lose: “For a week, I’ll have to work to make Roma lose.”